A Rae of Hope
by ShaduofTexitar
Summary: It starts out normal. Well, as normal as things get around the Game Shop. Yami's gone, and Grandpa leaves for a Duel Monsters convention, leaving Yugi with Rae. But who is following her? What secrets is she keeping from Yugi? And what will it cost for him
1. Rae

"Yugi, I'm leaving, okay?" Grandpa called up the stairs, suitcase beside him. "Be good, alright?" he waited for an answer.

The answer never came. Upstairs, no sound was made to acknowledge that Yugi had heard. Grandpa cocked his head. That was strange. Yugi always answered. Had Yugi not heard?

"Yugi, I'm leaving," Grandpa repeated.

Again, nothing was made to acknowledge that Yugi had heard. Grandpa put down the bag that he had around his shoulder and went back up the stairs. He moved slowly because he felt a slight tension in the air. It wasn't suffocating, and it may have just been because he didn't know where Yugi was or why Yugi wasn't responding, but he still felt the tension.

"Yugi?" Grandpa asked as he stuck his head inside Yugi's door.

Yugi was lying on his bed and when Grandpa called, Yugi lifted up to see his grandfather. He forced a pained smile for Grandpa in an effort to show he was okay even though Yugi felt horrible. Grandpa knew better though. Grandpa crossed over to Yugi and sat down on the bed.

"Yugi, are you feeling badly?" Grandpa asked.

"A little," Yugi confessed. "But I'm sure it was just something I ate. You don't have to stay home with me."

Grandpa disregarded the last two comments. Yugi hadn't eaten anything out of the ordinary, and Grandpa had made everything as well that day and the day before. So, it couldn't have something Yugi had eaten. Grandpa pressed his palm on Yugi's forehead. Yugi groaned. He knew what was coming.

"Yugi, you've got a fever," Grandpa stated, standing to his feet. "I'll go unpack my bags."

"No, I'll be okay, please," Yugi pleaded, grabbing Grandpa's shirt. "Don't cancel your trip."

"Yugi, I'll get another chance to go someday," Grandpa stated, turning back to Yugi.

"Please, don't cancel your trip," Yugi repeated. "You said yourself that it was an once-in-a-lifetime thing. You said that you'll probably never get to go again unless you go this year. I don't want you to miss out on this because of me. Please, go, I'll be okay."

"Yugi, I can't leave you alone with a fever and I can't take you with me," Grandpa told Yugi sternly. "The only other option is for me to stay here with you."

"Isn't there someone we can call?" Yugi desperately asked. "Someone, anyone? Isn't there someone who can take your place here?"

"No Yugi, there isn't," Grandpa shook his head. "There are your friends," Yugi's eyes lightened, "but they can't take care of you. I'm sorry, it's not that I don't trust them, but this is something best handled by an adult."

"Then what about the parents of one of my friends?" Yugi inquired wildly.

"That would be intruding Yugi," Grandpa explained. "Look Yugi, I'm just glad I was invited to go, but your health comes first. Now, I'll just go downstairs and unpack, and you stay up here and rest until I return, okay?"

Yugi mumbled something and laid back down.

Grandpa sighed as he went back down the stairs. He had been looking forward to the conference. Figures something like this would happen the day he was supposed to leave. He didn't blame his grandson for this; it wasn't his fault. Everyone knows you cannot control when you are sick. Grandpa cursed his luck. Unlike his grandson, he did not have any good luck in him. Not a lucky bone in his body. He just hoped that he really could go later in his life. Really, this was truly a one-time deal. Yugi had the luck he might be able to go many times, but Grandpa, no, he wasn't that lucky.

Grandpa was just starting to unzip the suitcase when the phone rang. Grandpa stood back up to his full height and went to the phone and answered it.

"Game Shop," Grandpa answered.

"Grampa? Is that you?" a female voice sprang over the line.

"Yes," Grandpa responded. "Who is this?"

"Oh, silly me, how could I expect you to remember after all these years," the female chuckled. "It's me, Rae."

"Rae? Is that really you? My goodness, it's been so long, I didn't recognize you," Grandpa smiled from ear to ear.

"Yes, I know," Rae's voice grinned. "Hey, look, I have to cut this short, I'm on a payphone, but I'm in town and was wondering if I could come by and visit."

"Oh, well, you have pretty bad timing," Grandpa explained. "See, I was just about to leave on a trip, but Yugi suddenly became ill, and he's not really up to visitors. I would allow you to talk to just me, but I know that Yugi would be mad."

"Oh, was your trip the Duel Monsters conference?" Rae wondered.

"Yes, how'd you know?" Grandpa sputtered.

"Yugi mentioned something about it in his last e-mail," Rae shrugged.

"Oh, I see, well, I'm not going this year," Grandpa sighed. "I have to stay home and take care of Yugi."

"Well," Rae drawled as if she were thinking, "I don't have to be anywhere. I could take care of Yugi while you go to the conference."

"Really? You would do that?" Grandpa jumped up, excited.

"Of course," Rae smiled. "Do you guys still live at the Kame Game Shop?"

"Yep," Grandpa bobbed his head.

"Great, then I'll be there in a few minutes," Rae stated.

"Is it alright if I go ahead and leave?" Grandpa asked, zipping back his suitcase. "I have to be leaving now if I'm to make my plane."

"Sure, I'll see you when you get back," Rae agreed.

"Yugi'll be here," Grandpa instructed as he picked his bags back up. "He can let you in. I've left him some money, but I'll leave a little more for you too. His is in an envelope in the cookie jar. Your's will be on the table under the key rack. Of course, you can combine them. I just didn't plan on two people."

"Yes, I got it, I'm almost out of time," Rae informed.

"Oh, yes, okay, well, the rest should be obvious," Grandpa stated, rushed. "I'll see you when I get back. Bye."

"Bye," Rae agreed and hung up.

Grandpa clicked off the phone and went back to the bottom of the stairs.

"Yugi!" he called.

Yugi poked his head out the door to his room, noting the happy tone in his grandpa's voice.

"Rae's coming to take care of you, that was her on the phone," Grandpa told the teen. "She'll be here in just a little while, so I'm expecting you to open the door for her," he picked up his shoulder bag. "So be good, and I'll call to see how things are going when I get to the hotel. I'll see you in a few weeks."

And with that, Grandpa was out the door, after leaving Rae some money, leaving a bewildered Yugi looking after him.


	2. Snuggles

Yugi nearly sprinted down the stairs at the sound of a knock at the door. And then, he hesitated as his hand reached for the doorknob.

What if it wasn't Rae? What if it was some stranger? Would they try to hurt him? Would they try to rob the place? Would he be killed? Would anyone hear his cry?

What if it was Rae? What would she look like now? Would she still be the Rae he knew? How would he react? How would she react? How would he feel? What would he do? What would she do?

Slowly, Yugi grasped the doorknob and turned it and slowly he eased open the door. He peeked out to see a tall woman, no older than twenty-three looking back at him. Her eyes were a calm blue-purple and her long shimmering hair was a brilliant mix of red and black. She could've easily rivaled Joey in height, though she was just an inch or two shorter than the blonde. Her face was fair and she smiled wide when she saw Yugi, who tried to smile back when he saw her.

"R-Rae!" Yugi cried as he flung the door open and rushed into her open arms.

"Well now Yugi, it's been a while hasn't it?" Rae chuckled.

"I've missed you so much," Yugi choked, trying not to cry. "I've missed you so, so much," he sniffed. "I thought I'd never see you again, ever," he looked up at her face and in a small voice added, "You said you were never coming back."

"Guess I lied, huh?" Rae smiled, tears starting to glisten in her eyes too. "But that doesn't matter now, huh?" Rae pulled Yugi back to look at him.

"Why did you come back? Why, even after you said you never where, even if fate said so?" Yugi inquired, brushing unshed tears away.

"Just had this feeling that I was needed," Rae replied. "Guess I was right. Now, let's get inside, huh? It's kind of cold out here."

Yugi, however, didn't move. He was in a daze. All of this was happening too fast and his brain couldn't process it all. Rae just smiled gently and scooped Yugi up in her arms with ease and carried Yugi back into the house.

"So, Grandpa tells me you're not feeling well," Rae stated to make conversation as she closed the door and walked over to the couch.

"Maybe a little, but it's nothing, really," Yugi looked up at her, snapping out of his daze.

"Yugi, you're lying," Rae told him as she set him down on the couch.

"No I'm-" Yugi started to protest in a scratchy voice.

"Yugi, you're my little brother, I know when you're lying," Rae stated. "How long have you been feeling bad, and tell the truth."

"It just started today," Yugi answered. "I woke up with it."

Rae pressed her hand on Yugi's forehead.

"You've got a fever," she mused.

"Yeah, that's why Grandpa was going to stay home," Yugi informed.

"I see," Rae nodded. "Does anything else hurt?"

"Yeah," Yugi nodded. "My throat hurts."

"Sore throat?" Rae raised an eyebrow.

Yugi nodded. Rae reached over and gently examined the outer portion of Yugi's throat. She rubbed it gently with her fingers, Yugi winching under her touch. Rae watched his reactions.

"Does that hurt?" she asked merely to verify.

"Yeah," Yugi nodded.

"You been hungry at all today?" Rae lowered her hand.

"Not really," Yugi shook his head. "I don't know Rae. I just feel sick. Not nauseas or anything, just sick. Tried, draggy. It's like I've got no energy," he laid his head on Rae's shoulder.

"Well, Yugi, I'm by no means a doctor, but if I had to take a guess, I'd say you have strep," Rae stated. "That means you have to go to a doctor."

"What?" Yugi sat up. "No, you don't have to take me. Strep's not serious. I don't need to go now. I can wait until Grandpa gets back, at least."

"Yugi, strep can turn serious and the sooner we get you to a doctor, the sooner you'll be feeling like Yugi again," Rae stated, standing up. "Now, what's your doctor's name?"

"I…I don't know," Yugi lied, his eyes shifting a little nervously.

"Yugi," Rae drawled, telling him she knew he was lying.

"Okay, it's Dr. Perry, but I don't know his number," Yugi confessed. "Grandpa keeps it on the fridge incase he forgets it."

Rae grabbed the cordless phone from its cradle and dailed the number on the fridge. Yugi sat back, defeated. Rae never did take his lying. Some people did, assuming he had a good reason to lie. But Rae wasn't one of them. Yugi half hated, half loved the fact that Rae was his big sister. She was always seeing through him, and he didn't want her any other way.

Rae reemerged in the living room and sat down beside Yugi.

"You have a doctor's appointment tomorrow at two," she informed him.

Yugi sighed and nodded.

"Look, I know you don't like going to the doctor, and I know you don't like imposing on someone, but you have to to get better and it's not imposing if it's your sis taking you," Rae stated.

Yugi sighed again and looked up at Rae. Her eyes were kind as they met his. She smiled and drew him close, cuddling him. Yugi's expression changed slightly as he lowered his head to his chest again. He was the only boy his age that Rae had ever met that liked being cuddled by his older sister. But then, Yugi had always been sensitive. He liked being held. If he had been born a dog, he would be a lap dog.

"So, Yugi, where does it hurt?" Rae asked.

Yugi looked up at her, puzzled.

"Well," he started slowly. "My throat hurts…"

Rae smiled and leaned down and kissed Yugi's throat.

"What'd you do that for?" Yugi asked.

"To make it feel better," Rae grinned impishly.

Then, Rae leaned over and kissed Yugi's forehead, explaining it was to help put his mind at ease, getting Yugi to chuckled a little. And then, she leaned down and kissed Yugi's heart. Yugi was silent after this. She did that to heal the hurt in his heart. The hurt he felt from her leaving. The hurt he felt from her just leaving him. And the hurt of confusion how to feel.


End file.
